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Friday, June 1, 2012

N1.59trn on wheat imports, unacceptable – Jonathan

Nigeria women processing cassava

Nigeria President, Dr. Goodluck
Jonathan has expressed federal government’s unacceptability over the
importation of wheat, rice, sugar and fish only which amounts to over $10
billion, about N1.59 trillion.

He also said the federal
government is facilitating the importation and installation of 100 new large
scale integrated rice mills in Nigeria to enable the nation with a capacity to
mill all locally consumed rice.

NaijaAgroNet gathered that the
federal government would not only sustain farming in the nation as the largest
producer of cassava in the world but also to ensure that Nigeria is the largest
processor of high value cassava products globally.

To achieve this, President
Jonathan said tariff and levy on the importation of wheat has been increased
and proceeds from the levy will be used to support corporate bakers and master
bakers across the country to use high quality cassava flour for baking.

The funds generated from the
wheat levy, NaijaAgroNet learnt would
be set aside to also support the promotion of high quality cassava flour and
composite cassava bread in form of technical training, equipment for corporate
baker as well as enzymes needed for production.

“Nigeria will export this year 1
million metric tonnes of dried cassava chips to China,” this he said would earn
the nation $136 million, about N21.7 billion in foreign exchange.

The federal government is also reviving cocoa’s
lost glory with massive distribution of about 3.6 million free pods of
high-yielding cocoa varieties for farmers. Free cotton seeds will also be
distributed to cotton farmers in the north.